The Virtues of Allah's sacred month of Muharram and Fasting on 'Aashooraa'

The Virtues of Allah's sacred month of Muharram and Fasting on 'Aashooraa'

Since 2002-03-20

What are the
virtues of the month of Muharram and fasting
'Aashooraa'?

Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the
Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the
Seal of the Prophets and Chief of the Messengers, and upon all his
family and companions. Allah's sacred month of Muharram is a
blessed and important month. It is the first month of the Hijri
calendar and is one of the four sacred months concerning which
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

«Verily, the number of months
with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by
Allaah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of
them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not
yourselves therein.» [al-Tawbah 9:36]

Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said:

<<B>The year is twelve
months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of
Dhu'l-Qa'dah, Dhu'l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which
comes between Jumaada and Sha'baan.> (Reported by al-Bukhaari,
2958).

Muharram is so called because it is
a sacred (muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity.

Allaah's words (interpretation of
the meaning): "so wrong not yourselves therein." mean do not wrong
yourselves in these sacred months, because sin in these months is
worse than in other months.

It was reported that Ibn 'Abbaas
said that this phrase (so wrong not yourselves therein.) referred
to all the months, then these four were singled out and made
sacred, so that sin in these months is more serious and good deeds
bring a greater reward.

Qutaadah said concerning this phrase
(so wrong not yourselves therein.) that wrongdoing during the
sacred months is more serious and more sinful that wrongdoing at
any other time. Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but
Allaah gives more weight to whichever of His commands He will.
Allaah has chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen from
among the angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He
chose from among speech the remembrance of Him (dhikr). He chose
from among the earth the mosques, from among the months Ramadaan
and the sacred months, from among the days Friday and from among
the nights Laylat al-Qadr, so venerate that which Allaah has told
us to venerate. People of understanding and wisdom venerate the
things that Allaah has told us to venerate. (Summarized from the
Tafseer of Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him. Tafseer of
Surat al-Tawbah, aayah 36).

The Virtue of
observing more naafil fasts during Muharram.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: 'The best of fasting after Ramadaan is
fasting Allaah's month of Muharram.'" (reported by Muslim,
1982).

The phrase "Allaah's month",
connecting the name of the month to the name of Allaah in a
genitive grammatical structure, signifies the importance of the
month. Al-Qaari said: "The apparent meaning is all of the month of
Muharram." But it was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) never fasted any whole month apart from
Ramadan, so this hadeeth is probably meant to encourage increasing
one's fasting during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast
for the entire month.

It was reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast more in
Sha'baan. It is likely that the virtue of Muharram was not revealed
to him until the end of his life, before he was able to fast during
this month. (Sharh al-Nawawi 'ala Saheeh Muslim).

Allaah chooses whatever times and
places He wills Al-'Izz ibn 'Abd al-Salaam (may Allaah have mercy
on him) said: "Times and places may be given preferred status in
two ways, either temporal or religious/spiritual. With regard to
the latter, this is because Allaah bestows His generosity on His
slaves at those times or in those places, by giving a greater
reward for deeds done, such as giving a greater reward for fasting
in Ramadaan than for fasting at all other times, and also on the
day of 'Aashooraa', the virtue of which is due to Allaah's
generosity and kindness towards His slaves on that day." (Qawaa'id
al-Ahkaam, 1/38).

'Aashooraa' in History

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) came to Madeenah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of
'Aashooraa'. He said, 'What is this?' They said, 'This is a
righteous day, it is the day when Allaah saved the Children of
Israel from their enemies, so Moosa fasted on this day.' He said,
'We have more right to Moosa than you,' so he fasted on that day
and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day." (Reported by
al-Bukhaari, 1865).

"This is a righteous day" - in a
report narrated by Muslim, [the Jews said:] "This is a great day,
on which Allaah saved Moosa and his people, and drowned Pharaoh and
his people."

"Moosa fasted on this day" - a
report narrated by Muslim adds:

". in thanksgiving to Allaah, so we
fast on this day."

According to a report narrated by
al-Bukhaari: ". so we fast on this day to venerate it."

A version narrated by Imaam Ahmad
adds: "This is the day on which the Ark settled on Mount Joodi, so
Nooh fasted this day in thanksgiving."

"and commanded [the Muslims] to fast
on that day" - according to another report also narrated by
al-Bukhaari: "He said to his Companions: 'You have more right to
Moosa than they do, so fast on that day."

The practice of fasting on
'Aashooraa' was known even in the days of Jaahiliyyah, before the
Prophet's mission. It was reported that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be
pleased with her) said:

"The people of Jaahiliyyah used to
fast on that day."

Al-Qurtubi said: "Perhaps Quraysh
used to fast on that day on the basis of some past law, such as
that of Ibraaheem, upon whom be peace."

It was also reported that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on
'Aashooraa' in Makkah, before he migrated to Madeenah. When he
migrated to Madeenah, he found the Jews celebrating this day, so he
asked them why, and they replied as described in the hadeeth quoted
above. He commanded the Muslims to be different from the Jews, who
took it as a festival, as was reported in the hadeeth of Abu Moosa
(may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: "The Jews used to take
the day of 'Aashooraa' as a festival [according to a report
narrated by Muslim: the day of 'Aashooraa' was venerated by the
Jews, who took it as a festival. According to another report also
narrated by Muslim: the people of Khaybar (the Jews) used to take
it as a festival and their women would wear their jewellery and
symbols on that day]. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: 'So you [Muslims] should fast on that day.'"

(Reported by al-Bukhaari).
Apparently the motive for commanding the Muslims to fast on this
day was the desire to be different from the Jews, so that the
Muslims would fast when the Jews did not, because people do not
fast on a day of celebration. (Summarized from the words of
al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar - may Allaah have mercy on him - in Fath
al-Baari Sharh 'ala Saheeh al-Bukhaari).

Fasting on 'Aashooraa' was a gradual
step in the process of introducing fasting as a prescribed
obligation in Islam. Fasting appeared in three forms. When the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
came to Madeenah, he told the Muslims to fast on three days of
every month and on the day of 'Aashooraa', then Allaah made fasting
obligatory when He said (interpretation of the meaning): ".
observing the fasting is prescribed for you." [al-Baqarah 2:183]
(Ahkaam al-Qur'aan by al-Jassas, part 1).

The obligation was transferred from
the fast of 'Aashooraa' to the fast of Ramadaan, and this one of
the proofs in the field of Usool al-Fiqh that it is possible to
abrogate a lighter duty in favour of a heavier duty. Before the
obligation of fasting 'Aashooraa' was abrogated, fasting on this
day was obligatory, as can be seen from the clear command to
observe this fast. Then it was further confirmed later on, then
reaffirmed by making it a general command addressed to everybody,
and once again by instructing mothers not to breastfeed their
infants during this fast. It was reported from Ibn Mas'ood that
when fasting Ramadaan was made obligatory, the obligation to fast
'Aashooraa' was lifted, i.e., it was no longer obligatory to fast
on this day, but it is still desirable (mustahabb).

The virtues of
fasting 'Aashooraa'

Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased
with them both) said: "I never saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) so keen to fast any day and
give it priority over any other than this day, the day of
'Aashooraa', and this month, meaning Ramadaan." (Reported by
al-Bukhaari, 1867).

The meaning of his being keen was
that he intended to fast on that day in the hope of earning the
reward for doing so. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "For fasting the day of 'Aashooraa', I hope that
Allaah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before."
(Reported by Muslim, 1976). This is from the bounty of Allaah
towards us: for fasting one day He gives us expiation for the sins
of a whole year. And Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty.

Which day is
'Aashooraa'?

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: "'Aashooraa' and Taasoo'aa' are two elongated names [the
vowels are elongated] as is stated in books on the Arabic language.
Our companions said: 'Aashooraa' is the tenth day of Muharram and
Taasoo'aa' is the ninth day. This is our opinion, and that of the
majority of scholars. This is the apparent meaning of the ahaadeeth
and is what we understand from the general wording. It is also what
is usually understood by scholars of the language."
(al-Majmoo')

'Aashooraa' is an Islamic name that
was not known at the time of Jaahiliyyah. (Kashshaaf al-Qinaa',
part 2, Sawm Muharram).

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy
on him) said: " 'Aashooraa' is the tenth day of Muharram. This is
the opinion of Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyib and al-Hasan. It was what was
reported by Ibn 'Abbaas, who said: 'The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to fast
'Aashooraa', the tenth day of Muharram.' (Reported by al-Tirmidhi,
who said, a saheeh hasan hadeeth). It was reported that Ibn 'Abbaas
said: 'The ninth,' and reported that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast the ninth. (Reported
by Muslim). 'Ataa' reported that he said, 'Fast the ninth and the
tenth, and do not be like the Jews.' If this is understood, we can
say on this basis that it is mustahabb (encouraged) to fast on the
ninth and the tenth, for that reason. This is what Ahmad said, and
it is the opinion of Ishaaq."

It is
mustahabb (encouraged) to fast Taasoo'aa' with
'Aashooraa'

'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah
be pleased with them both) said: "When the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted on 'Aashooraa'
and commanded the Muslims to fast as well, they said, 'O Messenger
of Allaah, it is a day that is venerated by the Jews and
Christians.' The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, 'If I live to see the next year, in shaa Allaah,
we will fast on the ninth day too.' But it so happened that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
passed away before the next year came." (Reported by Muslim,
1916).

Al-Shaafa'i and his companions,
Ahmad, Ishaaq and others said: "It is mustahabb to fast on both the
ninth and tenth days, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) fasted on the tenth, and intended to fast on
the ninth."

On this basis it may be said that
there are varying degrees of fasting 'Aashooraa', the least of
which is to fast only on the tenth and the best of which is to fast
the ninth as well. The more one fasts in Muharram, the better it
is.

The reason why
it is mustahabb to fast on Taasoo'aa'

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: "The scholars - our companions and others - mentioned
several reasons why it is mustahabb to fast on Taasoo'aa':

1. The intention behind it is to be
different from the Jews, who only venerate the tenth day. This
opinion was reported from Ibn 'Abbaas.

2. The intention is to add another
day's fast to 'Aashooraa'. This is akin to the prohibition on
fasting a Friday by itself, as was mentioned by al-Khattaabi and
others.

3. To be on the safe side and make
sure that one fasts on the tenth, in case there is some error in
sighting the crescent moon at the beginning of Muharram and the
ninth is in fact the tenth." The strongest of these reasons is
being different from the People of the Book. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: "The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade imitating the People
of the Book in many ahaadeeth, for example, his words concerning
'Aashooraa': 'If I live until the next year, I will certainly fast
on the ninth day.'" (al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 6, Sadd
al-Dharaa'i'al-Mufdiyah ila'l-Mahaarim ). Ibn Hajar (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said in his commentary on the hadeeth "If I live
until the next year, I will certainly fast on the ninth day": "What
he meant by fasting on the ninth day was probably not that he would
limit himself to that day, but would add it to the tenth, either to
be on the safe side or to be different from the Jews and
Christians, which is more likely. This is also what we can
understand from some of the reports narrated by Muslim." (Fath,
4/245).

Ruling on
fasting only on the day of 'Aashooraa'

Shaykh al-Islam said: "Fasting on
the day of 'Aashoraa' is an expiation for a year, and it is not
makrooh to fast only that day." (al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 5). In
Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, it says: "There is
nothing wrong with fasting only on 'Aashooraa'." (part 3, Baab Sawm
al-Tatawwu').

Fasting on
'Aashooraa' even if it is a Saturday or a Friday

Al-Tahhaawi (may Allaah have mercy
on him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) allowed us to fast on 'Aashooraa' and urged us
to do so. He did not say that if it falls on a Saturday we should
not fast. This is evidence that all days of the week are included
in this. In our view - and Allaah knows best - it could be the case
that even if this is true (that it is not allowed to fast on
Saturdays), it is so that we do not venerate this day and refrain
from food, drink and intercourse, as the Jews do. As for the one
who fasts on a Saturday without intending to venerate it, and does
not do so because the Jews regard it as blessed, then this is not
makrooh." (Mushkil al-Aathaar, part 2, Baab Sawm Yawm al-Sabt).

The author of al-Minhaaj said: " 'It
is disliked (makrooh) to fast on a Friday alone.' But it is no
longer makrooh if you add another day to it, as mentioned in the
saheeh report to that effect. A person may fast on a Friday if it
coincides with his habitual fast, or he is fasting in fulfilment of
a vow, or he is making up an obligatory fast that he has missed, as
was stated in a saheeh report."

Al-Shaarih said in Tuhfat
al-Muhtaaj: " 'If it coincides with his habitual fast' - i.e., such
as if he fasts alternate days, and a day that he fasts happens to
be a Friday.' if he is fasting in fulfilment of a vow, etc." - this
also applies to fasting on days prescribed in sharee'ah, such as
'Aashooraa'or 'Arafaah. (Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj, part 3, Baab Sawm
al-Tatawwu')

Al-Bahooti (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: "It is makrooh to deliberately single out a Saturday for
fasting, because of the hadeeth of 'Abd-Allaah ibn Bishr, who
reported from his sister: 'Do not fast on Saturdays except in the
case of obligatory fasts' (reported by Ahmad with a jayyid isnaad
and by al-Haakim, who said: according to the conditions of
al-Bukhaari), and because it is a day that is venerated by the
Jews, so singling it out for fasting means being like them.except
when a Friday or Saturday coincides with a day when Muslims
habitually fast, such as when it coincides with the day of 'Arafaah
or the day of 'Aashooraa', and a person has the habit of fasting on
these days, in which case it is not makrooh, because a person's
habit carries some weight." (Kashshaaf al-Qinaa', part 2, Baab Sawm
al-Tatawwu').

What should be
done if there is confusion about the beginning of the
month?

Ahmad said: "If there is confusion
about the beginning of the month, one should fast for three days,
to be sure of fasting on the ninth and tenth days." (al-Mughni by
Ibn Qudaamah, part 3 - al-Siyaam - Siyaam 'Aashooraa').

If a person does not know when
Muharram began, and he wants to be sure of fasting on the tenth, he
should assume that Dhoo'l-Hijjah was thirty days - as is the usual
rule - and should fast on the ninth and tenth. Whoever wants to be
sure of fasting the ninth as well should fast the eight, ninth and
tenth (then if Dhoo'l-Hijjah was twenty-nine days, he can be sure
of having fasted Taasoo'aa' and 'Aashooraa').

But given that fasting on
'Aashooraa' is mustahabb rather than waajib, people are not
commanded to look for the crescent of the new moon of Muharram as
they are to do in the case of Ramadaan and Shawwaal.

Fasting
'Aashooraa' - for what does it offer expiation?

Imaam al-Nawawi (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: "It expiates for all minor sins, i.e., it
brings forgiveness of all sins except major sins."

Then he said (may Allaah have mercy
on him): "Fasting the day of 'Arafaah expiates for two years, and
the day of 'Aashooraa' expiates for one year. If when a person says
'Aameen' it coincides with the 'Aameen' of the angels, he will be
forgiven all his previous sins. Each one of the things that we have
mentioned will bring expiation. If there are minor sins for which
expiation is needed, expiation for them will be accepted; if there
are no minor sins or major sins, good deeds will be added to his
account and he will be raised in status. If he had committed major
sins but no minor sins, we hope that his major sins will be
reduced." (al-Majmoo' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, part 6, Sawm Yawm
'Arafaah).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: "Tahaarah, salaah, and fasting in
Ramadaan, on the day of 'Arafaah and on 'Aashooraa' expiate for
minor sins only." (al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 5).

Not relying too much on the reward
for fasting. Some people who are deceived rely too much on things
like fasting on 'Aashooraa' or the day of 'Arafaah, to the extent
that some of them say, "Fasting on 'Aashooraa' will expiate for the
sins of the whole year, and fasting on the day of 'Arafaah will
bring extra rewards." Ibn al-Qayyim said: 'This misguided person
does not know that fasting in Ramadaan and praying five times a day
are much more important than fasting on the day of 'Arafaah and
'Aashooraa', and that they expiate for the sins between one
Ramadaan and the next, or between one Friday and the next, so long
as one avoids major sins. But they cannot expiate for minor sins
unless one also avoids major sins; when the two things are put
together, they have the strength to expiate for minor sins. Among
those deceived people may be one who thinks that his good deeds are
more than his sins, because he does not pay attention to his bad
deeds or check on his sins, but if he does a good deed he remembers
it and relies on it. This is like the one who seeks Allaah's
forgiveness with his tongue (i.e.,by words only), and glorifies
Allaah by saying "Subhaan Allaah" one hundred times a day, then he
backbites about the Muslims and slanders their honour, and speaks
all day long about things that are not pleasing to Allaah. This
person is always thinking about the virtues of his tasbeehaat
(saying "Subhaan Allaah") and tahleelaat (saying "Laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah") but he pays no attention to what has been reported
concerning those who backbite, tell lies and slander others, or
commit other sins of the tongue. They are completely deceived."
(al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, part 31, Ghuroor).

Fasting
'Aashooraa' when one still has days to make up from
Ramadaan

The fuqahaa' differed concerning the
ruling on observing voluntary fasts before a person has made up
days that he or she did not fast in Ramadaan. The Hanafis said that
it is permissible to observe voluntary fasts before making up days
from Ramadaan, and it is not makrooh to do so, because the missed
days do not have to be made up straight away. The Maalikis and
Shaafa'is said that it is permissible but is makrooh, because it
means that one is delaying something obligatory. Al-Dusooqi said:
"It is makrooh to observe a voluntary fast when one still has to
make up an obligatory fast, such as a fast in fulfilment of a vow,
or a missed obligatory fast, or a fast done as an act of expiation
(kafaarah), whether the voluntary fast which is being given
priority over an obligatory fast is something confirmed in
sharee'ah or not, such as 'Aashooraa' and the ninth of
Dhoo'l-Hijjah, according to the most correct opinion." The Hanbalis
said that it is haraam to observe a voluntary fast before making up
any fasts missed in Ramadaan, and that a voluntary fast in such
cases does not count, even if there is plenty of time to make up
the obligatory fast. So a person must give priority to the
obligatory fasts until he has made them up.. (al-Mawsoo'ah
al-Fiqhiyyah, part 28, Sawm al-tatawwu').

Muslims must hasten to make up any
missed fasts after Ramadaan, so that they will be able to fast
'Arafaah and 'Aashooraa' without any problem. If a person fasts
'Arafaah and 'Aashooraa' with the intention from the night before
of making up for a missed fast, this will be good enough to make up
what he has missed, for the bounty of Allaah is great.

Bid'ahs
(innovations) common on 'Aashooraa'

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may
Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the things that people do
on 'Aashooraa', such as wearing kohl, taking a bath (ghusl),
wearing henna, shaking hands with one another, cooking grains
(huboob), showing happiness and so on. Was any of this reported
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a
saheeh hadeeth, or not? If nothing to that effect was reported in a
saheeh hadeeth, is doing these things bid'ah, or not? Is there any
basis for what the other group do, such as grieving and mourning,
going without anything to drink, eulogizing and wailing, reciting
in a crazy manner, and rending their garments?

His reply was: 'Praise be to Allaah,
the Lord of the Worlds. Nothing to that effect has been reported in
any saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) or from his Companions. None of the imaams of the
Muslims encouraged or recommended such things, neither the four
imaams, nor any others. No reliable scholars have narrated anything
like this, neither from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), nor from the Sahaabah, nor from the Taabi'een;
neither in any saheeh report or in a da'eef (weak) report; neither
in the books of Saheeh, nor in al-Sunan, nor in the Musnads. No
hadeeth of this nature was known during the best centuries, but
some of the later narrators reported ahaadeeth like the one which
says, "Whoever puts kohl in his eyes on the day of 'Aashooraa' will
not suffer from eye disease in that year, and whoever takes a bath
(does ghusl) on the day of 'Aashooraa' will not get sick in that
year," and so on. They also reported a fabricated hadeeth that is
falsely attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), which says, "Whoever is generous to his family on the
day of 'Aashooraa', Allaah will be generous to him for the rest of
the year." Reporting all of this from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) is tantamount to lying.' Then he
[Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him)] discussed in brief
the tribulations that had occurred in the early days of this ummah
and the killing of al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him), and
what the various sects had done because of this. Then he said: 'An
ignorant, wrongful group - who were either heretics and hypocrites,
or misguided and misled - made a show of allegiance to him [i.e.
al-Husayn] and the members of his household, so they took the day
of 'Aashooraa' as a day of mourning and wailing, in which they
openly displayed the rituals of jaahiliyyah such as slapping their
cheeks and rending their garments, grieving in the manner of the
jaahiliyyah. The Shaytaan made this attractive to those who are
misled, so they took the day of 'Aashooraa' as an occasion of
mourning, when they grieve and wail, recite poems of grief and tell
stories filled with lies. Whatever truth there may be in these
stories serves no purpose other than the renewal of their grief and
sectarian feeling, and the stirring up of hatred and hostility
among the Muslims, which they do bycursing those who came before
them. The evil and harm that they do to the Muslims cannot be
enumerated by any man, no matter how eloquent he is. Some others -
either Naasibis who oppose and have enmity towards al-Husayn and
his family or ignorant people who try to fight evil with evil,
corruption with corruption, lies with lies and bid'ah with bid'ah -
opposed them by fabricating reports in favour of making the day of
'Aashooraa' a day of celebration, by wearing kohl and henna,
spending money on one's children, cooking special dishes and other
things that are done on Eids and special occasions. These people
took the day of 'Aashooraa' as a festival like Eid, whereas the
others took it as a day of mourning. Both are wrong, and both go
against the Sunnah, even though the other group (those who take it
as a day of mourning) are worse in intention and more ignorant and
more plainly wrong. Neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) nor his successors (the khulafa' al-raashidoon)
did any of these things on the day of 'Aashooraa', they neither
made it a day of mourning nor a day of celebration.As for the other
things, such as cooking special dishes with or without grains, or
wearing new clothes, or spending money on one's family, or buying
the year's supplies on that day, or doing special acts of worship
[in particular for this day] such as special prayers or
deliberately slaughtering an animal on that day, or saving some of
the meat of the sacrifice to cook with grains, or wearing kohl and
henna, or taking a bath (ghusl), or shaking hands with one another,
or visiting one another, or visiting the mosques and mashhads
(shrines) and so on. all of this is reprehensible bid'ah and is
wrong. None of it has anything to do with the Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or
the way of the Khulafa' al-Raashidoon. It was not approved of by
any of the imaams of the Muslims, not Maalik, not al-Thawri, not
al-Layth ibn Sa'd, not Abu Haneefah, not al-Oozaa'i, not
al-Shaafa'i, not Ahmad ibn Hanbal, not Ishaaq ibn Raahwayh, not any
of the imaams and scholars of the Muslims.'(al-Fataawa al-Kubra by
Ibn Taymiyah)

Ibn al-Haaj (may Allaah have mercy
on him) mentioned that one of the bid'ahs on 'Aashooraa' was
deliberately paying zakaat on this day, late or early, or
slaughtering a chicken just for this occasion, or - in the case of
women - using henna. (al-Madkhal, part 1, Yawm 'Aashooraa')

We ask Allaah to make us followers
of the Sunnah of His Noble Prophet, to make us live in Islam and
die in a state of faith. May He help us to do that which He loves
and which pleases Him. We ask Him to help us to remember Him and be
thankful to Him, to worship Him properly and to accept our good
deeds.

May He make us of those who are
pious and fear Him. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all
his family and companions.